16 replies to this topic

[[email protected]]

Hey Guys,

I saw an advert for CALVER SPECIAL TUNING camshafts in Mini World so thought i would have a gand at his website. He claims that one camshaft is the equivilent to the 286 but with more torque? Here's the link:

http://www.calverst.com/shopopen.htm

Does anyone have one of these camshafts designed by Calver and if so how do they perform in comparison to the Piper and Kent cams?

I am starting to build a 1430cc engine and i'd rather have more torque than bhp (both is obviously better :>)
Seeing as he claims his cams produce more torque and that a couple of 1430 engines i've seen run 286's, i was wondering whether one of his camshafts would be more suited??

Any advice will be great,

Cheers,

Mike

[Retro_10s]

Kieth Calver often works along side Piper - so that's worth looking into....

And if you log onto Minifinty he is a user there, so you coulds ask him in person what makes it better,... He's a helpful chap, I'e a had a few conersations with him about various engine things.

[Nightrain]

There Graham Russel cams, from Australia. Have a look on the ausmini site lots of info there.

[mini7boy]

one of the cams sold by Calver, the RE13, is a very popular cam in Australia where it was originally designed by Russell Engineering. Check with Calver for details.

here's only two of many RE13 items posted on the ausmini forum. Quite an excellent forum.

http://www.ausmini.c...;highlight=re13

http://www.ausmini.c...;highlight=re13


here's what one guy said on the ausmini forum:

I've tried lots over the years: BL factory, Wade, Waggot, Piper, Kent, now GR.

All in 1275 up engines. BL's 649 and Wade's 1760 were good race cams, better than the Sprint/ Super Sprint IMO. But a bit too over the top for regular road use. For a daily user I found the Wade 140 was quite good, better than the 266 which ran out of puff a bit too soon for my liking, or the 731 which was pretty lame. 276/286 are ok but nothing special.

Haven't tried the Swiftune cams which seem to have mixed reviews.

The RE13 beats them all for all-round regular use, reasonably good in traffic and huge mid range torque right where you need it.

Not sure how it would go in a small bore though for everyday purposes. Generally, the bigger the capacity of your engine the wilder you can go with cam profiles.

[Nightrain]

Heard calver has moved away from the GR cam, sticking a more conventional (older) type in his racer. Which I find interesting as I'm sure I've seen him use the quote 'Torque wins races, BHP sells cars' and if you'd seen him drive you'd now he needs all the help he can get. So why the shift keith ?

[Calver ST]

Here we go again... folks reading what they want in to stuff rather than what is actually said. True- my last race engine that I blew up last year had a Piper STR930 type camshaft in it - but that's because the whole motor was a 'bitsa' from under the bench just to get me out racing again. I was not about to put a heap of brand new parts in to it - cost for one thing. That 930 (latter day 649 as used in Miglias) was a good used cam, so I put that in with all the other good used parts. I have no doubt it is now looking very second hand... haven't had a chance to pull it apart yet.

When I build the two new race motors for this year (hopefully), they will both be running the Graham Russell inspired race cams.

As for the RE13, I do the 'OT' (Opimum Torque) and the 'PP' (Peak Performance). I only do the latter because there are some who simply will not be moved away from the opinion that unless you are seeing ridiculous rpm on the rev counter you are not going fast. The 'OT' is by far and away a better road cam. I have sold heaps of these to the European/International market where they seem to be less blinkered than the UK market. The French in partiucular have taken to this cam big time. I think because of the Mini Mag project engine I sold to a guy over there. He seemed to spend the first 2 months just driving all over France to let his Mini-friends experience the performance! Piper grinds all my cams for me.

And Nightrain - I note you haven't had the coutesy to reply to the e-mails I sent you re the last debacle, in particular the supposedly damming e-mail I sent you some time back. Perhaps you didn't receive them?

[Jammy]

Nightrain and mini7boy, I'm not sure exactly how your posts are meant to be helping the OP, but if they don't start soon I'll simply remove them!

Calver ST, thanks for taking your time to clarify that.

[Calver ST]

Nightrain - your observations on my capabilities as a race car driver illuminate further your persistance at seeing what you want to - not what's realy there. Having finally sourced the cause of the ill-handling on my racing Clubby, I have come 4th over-all in the wet (against everything from V12 Jags, V6 3 litre Capris to RS2000s and Dolomite Sprints) to getting with tenths of seconds of the lap records for my class. Whilst I readily admit that I am no more than a capable driver - no hot shoe - I think I have progressed reasonably well. How's your race driving going?

[Jammy]

I would appreciate it if this little argument wasn't continued and the topic could go back to recommending camshafts for Mowen!

[Retro_10s]

Didn't realise you were a member on here too Calver, great to have people like yourself onboard

[Nightrain]

Easy to spot those calvers, sure having 2 log ins is against the rules. Never received any emails from you last one was the one talked about previously. You had the chance to sort this years ago and choose not to, maybe we should talk about qualification's. Isn't yours in business studies...............

In my opinion if you want a russel cam, which I have only read the reports on Ausmini etc, I'd get on the phone to him and tell him what you want. There are only the 2 profiles available in this country, but from what I've read he grinds the cams more to suit your individual requirements. Talk to the organ grinder rather ...........

[Calver ST]

Most certainly Jammy - I am just answering the questions posed/points made.

As for multiple Calvers - I had an issue logging on so re-registered as sending a question to the webmaster mail address netted it being returned as undeliverable... nothing at all underhand.

The RE13OT is sort of in the area of a 286/285 but developes more torque earlier in the rpm range, is a slightly smoother idle (wil lpass emiossions tests) and generally has more peak torque, though its performance is all done by around 6,000rpm or so. Much of this - and any cams performance - depends on the cylinder head used and how good the engine build is.

And thanks Retro_10s - I now only visit occasionally because of threads that contain stuff such as posted here. I am guessing nightrain is my ol' buddy Smiffy... one of the reasons I rarely bother now. As shown there is more personal attack than useful information/help.

KC

[Jammy]

Posts removed. My apologies to Mowen who can have his topic back now.

[mini7boy]

Easy to spot those calvers, sure having 2 log ins is against the rules. Never received any emails from you last one was the one talked about previously. You had the chance to sort this years ago and choose not to, maybe we should talk about qualification's. Isn't yours in business studies...............

In my opinion if you want a russel cam, which I have only read the reports on Ausmini etc, I'd get on the phone to him and tell him what you want. There are only the 2 profiles available in this country, but from what I've read he grinds the cams more to suit your individual requirements. Talk to the organ grinder rather ...........

That's right, folks. Just call Australia and order a cam. It doesn't cost anything to ship cams from Australia to England. They fly free.

Mowan:
Calver and Russell communicate weekly, if not daily. You will gain nothing except a nice shipping bill by buying a cam from Russell in Australia.

Edited by mini7boy, 11 March 2009 - 06:40 PM.

[[email protected]]

Thanks a lot everyone for clearing that up for me!
It wasn't meant to spark a personal feud between CalverST and Nightrain
However i thank both of you for giving me a clearer understanding when you weren't insulting each other.......

oh and cheers Jammy,


i also have another question! People say that cams like the STR930 have more top end power for racing use! However, i find it hard to understand how a miglia mini (many of which apparently use this cam) can achieve 0-60 in around 4.5 seconds? Can someone help me out??
0-60 in 4.5 sounds quite appealing to me building a 1430, and seeing as miglias are only 1293's, would i maybe be able to shave the 0-60 down even further with a 1430 and the correct set-up???

Any more help would be great,

Thanks Guys,

Mike